Traction-chain adjuster



Nb'v. 11 *1"924. 515,332.

E. H. BISHOP TRACTION' CHAIN ADqusTER Filed Dec. 15 f 192.?.l

' INVENTQR Patented Nov. ll, i924.

EARL H. BISHOP, OF BUTLER, PENNSYLVANEA, ASSIGNOR DAUBENSPECK CHAINCOMEANY, OF BUTLER, ENNSYLVANA, A CORFORATIN 0F PENNSYLVANIA.

TRACTl'ON-CHAEN ABJUSTER.

Application filed ."feceniher 15, 199.3. Seriell No. 680,8.

To @ZZ whom- /z't may conce/Mt.'

Be it known that I, EARL H. BISHOP, a citizen of the United States,residing at Butler, county of Butler, and State of Pennsylvania, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Traction-Chain Adjusters, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and enact description.

This invention relates to traction chain adjusters and is particularlyuseful inconnection with traction chains used on automobile wheels.

l provide a chain adjuster including a frame and a spring carriedthereby, the spring being adapted to be carried by the frame in asubstantially fixed manner when 'fnot in use. rlhis is preferablyaccomplished by providing an adjuster whe-rein the frame is formed of acontinuous piece of metal adaptedv to surround the wheel hub, and havingattached thereto one or more springs loosely faste-ned to the frame byone end and with hoolrs at the other end adapted to engage the tractioncha-in. When the device is not in use, the hooks are fastened over asuitable portion of the frame, thereby forining a neat and compactarticle which may be readily stored in a tool bon or under'theautomobile seat until it is put into use.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the present preferredembodiment of the invention,

Figure l is a side elevation of an automobile wheel provided with atraction chain and having my invention applied thereto; and f Figure 2is a side view, on an enlarged scale, of the apparatus ready to bestored away.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, there is shown anautomobile wheel 2 provided with a traction chain 3 of any desired type.rlhe traction chain is engaged by a plurality of hooks l attached to theouter ends of tension springs 5. rEhe springs are connected at theirinner ends to a frame 6 formed of a continuous bar of metal and in theform of a regular polygon having as many apexes as there are springs. Asclearly seen from Figure l, the frame surrounds the hub 7 of the wheeland serves to interconnect all of the springs 5.

l/Vhen it is desired to store the adjuster, it is removed from thewheel. The springs i are slipped around the frame 6 until all of themare lying at one side thereof and the hooks 4 are then sprung over anopposite sine of the frame. rlhis results in a neat, compact article, asshown in lFigure 2, which may be readily stored in a small space untilit is again used.

lt will be seen from the foregoing that the frame is preferably of aregular polygonal Vform having as manv apeXes as there are springs. Alsothat there ispreferably provided an even number of springs which tend totravel to the apexes of the frame when applied, thus insuring evenspacing around the bar. The springs are also preferably of a lengthsubstantially equal to the width of the polygon and this, with a polygonhaving an even number of sides, makes it very easy to put the apparatusin the condition shown in Figure 2 for storage. i

r)he apparatus is simple, strong and efficient and may be applied tovarying sizes of wheels simply by stretching the springs. lt istherefore possible to accommodate the entire range of wheel sizes with avery few sizes of' adjusters. v

`While l have shown the preferred form of my invention, it will beunderstood that it is not limited thereto but may be otherwise embodiedwithin the lscope of the following claims.

l claim:

l. An adjuster for wheel chains, includ-l ing a rigid frame, and aspring loosely se cured thereto byv one end, the spring being adapted tobe carried by the frame in a substantially fixed manner when not in use,substantially as described. 2. An adjuster for wheel chains, includ lnga rigid frame, a spring loosely secured thereto by one end, and a hookon the spring adapted to engage the wheel chain when the adjuster is inuse 0r to engage the frame when it is not in use, substantially asdescribed.

3. An adjuster for wheel chains, including a frame adapted to surroundthe hub of the wheel, and a plurality of springs carried by the frame,the springs being adapted to be held by the frame in a substantiallyfixed manner when not in use, substantially as described.

t. An adjuster for wheel chains, includfil) ing a frame adapted tosurround the hub o the Wheel, a plurality oir' springs tastened by oneend to the iframe, and hooks on the remote ends of the springs, thehooks being adapted. to engage the Wheel chain when the adjuster is inuse and to engage the frame When it is not in use, substantially asdescribed.

5. An adjuster tor Wheel chains, ineluding a frame formed of acontinuous piece of metal, and a plurality ot springs loosely mountedthereon, the sirings being adapted to be held by the trarne in :isubstantial iixed manner When the adjuster is not i use, substantiallyas descril ed.

6. An adjuster tor Wheel chains, ineluding` a irame formed ci acontinuons piece oi' metal having tivo substantially parallel sides, aplurality of springs loosely mounted on the 'trame at one end, and hooksat the other ends ot the springs adapted to engage the Wheel chain whenthe adjuster is in use, the springs being slidable around the 'frame toone of the parallel sides and the hooks beingl adapted to engage theother jarallel side When the adjuster' is not in use, substantially asdescribed.

7. An adjuster for Wheel chains, ineluding,` a trame formed of aContinuous piece of metal, and tension springs loosely mount ed thereonadapted to be stretched and tastened to the Wheel chain, the iframehaving portions to which the springs will travel when they are pulled,the springs being adapted to be carried by the frame in a substantiallylined manner When not in use, substantially as described.

8. An adjuster for Wheel chains, ineluding a trame termed ot acontinuous piece of metal, and a plurality of tension springs mountedthereon adapted to be stretched and 'fastened to the Wheel chain, the'frame having` a plurality of equally spaced portions to which thesprings Will travel when they are pulled, there being as many of suchframe portions as there are springs, the springs being adapted to becarried by remesa the :trame in a substantially fixed manner when not inuse, substantially as described.

9. in adjuster Ator Wheel chains, ineluding a trame or regular polygonalform havinga plurality of tension springs loosely mounted thereon, theframe having as many apeXes as there are springs, the springs beingadapted to be carried by the frame in a substantially lined manner whennot in use, substantially as described.

it). An adjuster for Wheel chains7 including; a trarne oi' regularpolygonal form with an even number et' sides, springs et a lengthsubstantially equal to the Width o'l" the polygon loosely mountedthereon, there being the saine number or springs as there are sides, anda hook on each. spring adapted to engage the Wheel chain when theadjuster is in use or to a side or the polygon opposite the side Wherethe spring is attached when the adjuster is not in use, substantially asdescribed.

ll. An adjuster for Wheel chains, including a traine, and a connectingmember adapted to engage the Wheel chaina the con` neetino' memberbeing' adapted to be carried by the frame in a substantially fixedmanner when the adjuster is not in use, substantially as described.

l2. iin-adjuster for Wheel chains, including` a square frame formed of acontinuous piece et metal rod, and tension springs slidably mountedthereon adapted to be stretched and fastened to the Wheel chain, thesprings having hooks at the remote ends thereof for fastening to theWheel chain, the springs being slightly shorter than the Width or thesquare frame and adapted to be slipped to one side oi such frame andhave the hooks fastened over the opposite side to hold the springstightly when the adjuster is not in use, substantially as described.

ln testimony whereof l have hereunto set my hand.

EARL H. BISHOP.

